Face To Face

It’s been a transformative year for Mohawk singer-songwriter Shawnee Kish. She became a mother, was nominated for two Juno Awards, released five singles and was named one of TikTok’s 2024 Indigenous Visionary Voices. Kish feels lucky to be in the position that she is in, but admits the music industry has not always been welcoming to her as an Indigenous, Two-Spirit person.

University of Manitoba History and Indigenous Studies Prof. Sean Carleton doesn't mince words when it comes to the impact of the late Murray Sinclair. “Quite simply, Murray Sinclair changed Canada forever,” says Carleton on the latest episode of Face to Face.

Indigenous leaders have raised concerns over Ottawa’s Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business initiative for decades. On Face to Face, investigative journalist Patti Sonntag says she never expected her reporting would lead to a cabinet resignation.

It started with Hollywood and the portrayal of Indigenous Peoples on the big screen in the 2009 Peabody Award-winning film Reel Injun. The documentary used hundreds of clips from classic and newer movies and featured interviews with Hollywood legends like Clint Eastwood to look at the evolution of Indigenous Peoples on the big screen. Fifteen years later, Neil Diamond is back as a co-director of two films that look at the impacts Indigenous Peoples have had on Western society and why its culture is so often appropriated.

On this episode of Face to Face: Charly Edsitty A lack of a clean water supply in the largest reservation in the United States is a century-old issue, but it’s an issue that many Americans have never heard about. Navajo journalist Charly Edsitty says she hopes to raise awareness of the history of oppression and exclusion that has kept the Navajo from their water and the ongoing legal and political battles to secure basic human rights.

On this episode of Face to Face: Paul Spence Paul Spence is an actor known to many as Dean Murdock from the mockumentary FUBAR, which spawned two films, a TV series and a book. Now, Spence is back with an origin story of Dean that is unrelated to the FUBAR franchise called Deaner ‘89.

On this episode of Face to Face: Governor General of Canada Mary Simon. Simon, who was sworn in on July 26, 2021, is the first Indigenous governor general and the 30th since Confederation. Prior to the role, she was nationally and internationally recognized for her work on Arctic and Indigenous issues.

On this episode of Face to Face: Desiree Dorion The country music industry, south of the Medicine Line, has long been known as an old boys club where women are underrepresented. On this episode of Face to Face, Desiree Dorion says it’s no better in Canada, especially if you’re a woman of colour.

On this episode of Face to Face: Melissa Robinson Host Dennis Ward leaves the studio and heads to the streets for his interview with Melissa Robinson on the season premiere of Face to Face. Robinson is the cousin of Morgan Harris, one of the victims of a Winnipeg serial killer. She is also the co-chair of Morgan’s Warriors, an outreach group helping some of Winnipeg’s most vulnerable.

Filmmakers, MMIWG2S advocates, doctors, authors, lawyers and a sitting premier were all among the 27 guests featured on this past season of Face to Face. We wrap up season 10 with a look back on some of those episodes and some of the themes that stood out during the past 8 months. Face to Face will return for an 11th season in the fall as we approach our 250th episode.

Over the past four decades, Lisa Meeches has produced countless acclaimed films and television programs. She tells Face to Face there are hopes to renew the series Taken, which told the stories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Landing the role as Taloa in the Marvel mini-series, Echo wasn’t just a big deal for Katarina Ziervogel as a deaf actor. She says the show, which focuses on a deaf and Indigenous superhero played by Alaqua Cox, is opening the door for other Deaf actors to enter the entertainment industry.

Julian Falconer is a well-known figure in the Canadian legal community and is recognized as one of the country's top human rights lawyers. He tells Face to Face why three families he is representing are calling for the Thunder Bay Police Service to be disbanded.

Cody Lightning played the role of young Viktor in the 1998 cult classic Smoke Signals. On Face to Face, he shares his journey to write, direct and star in Hey Viktor, a mockumentary about Cody’s attempt to make the sequel, Smoke Signals 2: Still Smoking.

The Indigenous Screen Office recently celebrated the news of long-term stable funding. The ISO was launched in 2017 to champion Indigenous screen-based storytellers and through funding and advocacy work. On this Face to Face CEO Kerry Swanson explains the importance of the ISO.

In December 2023, Dr. Rebekah Neckoway became the first Indigenous chief medical officer to be appointed in Ontario. On this Face to Face, she says it’s an honour and hopes the appointment will set a precedent for other provinces and territories.

Award-winning author Michael Hutchinson’s mystery series Mighty Muskrats has been praised for its cultural and historic context and young kid's rez humour. He shares how he wants the series to help educate youth on First Nations issues.

Lance Cardinal has made a name for himself by bringing Indigenous and Two-Spirit representation to public spaces and the small screen. Known for his vibrant murals and zest for life, it seems Lance's goal is to create positivity wherever he goes.

Kelvin Redvers has been working in the film and television industry for two decades but has just released his first feature film. The thriller, Cold Road, is about an Indigenous woman and her dog being hunted by a stranger in a semi-truck on an isolated highway in the North.

Since the death of his son Harlan to an accidental drug poisoning, Joseph Fourre has been raising awareness about the harms of drugs with a campaign to youth call No Thanks I'm Good. On Face to Face, Fourre discusses his son, the campaign and his past.